[GPhiBLtColonel]

One of the things I learned in doing my research about the IFC at my son’s university, 60% of the new members were early bids. I had no idea! What a change from sorority recruitment!!

Anyway, the very first summer rush event my son wanted to do was right here in town. For logistics only, I drove my son over an hour north to meet up with some actives of TAYLORMADE who were congregating at a brother’s house to all go together to attend a major league baseball game that evening. Since the MLB stadium was a mere 20 minutes from our home, my son agreed that I would just pick him up after the game outside the stadium. Two girlfriends came with me and we got to the bar/grill across the street from the stadium during the 7th inning – we had some yummy BBQ and a couple of cold brews and got to see the rest of the game on all the TVs in the place. My son was very indulgent as all three of us moms gently grilled him on the drive home about how things had gone. He said he REALLY – repeat REALLY - liked these guys. Remember this was the fraternity that had so impressed my husband and I during Orientation. So we were thrilled to hear my son’s comments. The game was on a Saturday and in Monday’s mail we get a letter with a brochure and – having never seen a fraternity bid before – I crazily jumped around excitedly thinking it was a bid. Sadly, it wasn’t…just a “we really really really like you" letter. My son was confident a bid would be forthcoming.

The following weekend after my son had been begging and pleading all week to be allowed to drive five hours away to his university for some summer rush events there and at another location not far from the university where a minor league team had a home game, my husband and I relented and said OK. I had a bit of trepidation about him doing that long drive solo, but my husband reassured me our son was a safe driver so off our son went. He followed our pre-drive instructions and texted us every time he stopped just so we would be reassured he was where he was supposed to be. (I have watched waaaaay too many episodes of Criminal Minds, I guess!) He was going to stay at the university with his fall roomie who was taking summer classes. BTW, his future roomie had already accepted an early bid from MIZUNO.

My son had made arrangements to do things – eg “hang out” - with guys from BRIDGESTONE and PING and he was going to do an actual “official” summer rush event with NIKE. He texted and called me to share his feelings and impressions throughout the weekend and when he finally came home, he had a real live actual bid from NIKE and he said he was hoping to get one from PING. He really liked the NIKE guys and felt like it was such a good fit for him. But he said he also really liked the PING guys, although he did remark, “They are really country!” Which he liked but it was funny to hear him comment on it! BRIDGESTONE and TAYLORMADE faded into second place behind NIKE and PING, although he said he still really liked them.